Shy Elusive Mooomaid: The Story Behind The Cartoon by Rick London

Moomaid by LTCartoons Click To Enlarge

Long before there was a Far Side, I had a shoebox full of cartoon concepts that started in 1973 when I was but a wee freshman in college in Dallas. I had no idea what would become of these weird concepts, and I showed them to but a few close friends (who from the day I showed them they looked at me funny), but seven years later a stranger from Tacoma, Wa. launched a single-panel cartoon called “The Far Side”.  Please don’t cast aspersions yet. I don’t put myself in the league of The Far Side. 

As were a lot of people, I was elated.  So much of the “free association” that “we children of the 60s and 70s” was captured in this comic.   The “I’ll create it the way I want/authority-be-damned” feel swept the country within a  week.  The Far Side was king.  A new trail had been blazed.

Furthermore, so many of my already written concepts included cows and mythical characters from mermaids to unicorns and a combination of several. 

The vision of my cartoon, however, went way beyond the limit of my capabilities, however.   I had thought for many years that cartooning could be and should be, at times, fine art; or at least colorful close-to-fine art. 

Thanks to several of my early mentors, I learned that at least 30% of cartoons we see are group efforts, and it was/is perfectly fine to find astute and talented illustrators who could read “the blueprint of a cartoon concept”, add a caption and it would happen.  And they were right.

I wrote this cartoon around 1974 back when I’d written less than 1000 of them.  I always felt it had potential; that mooomaid toys would don every Toys R Us store and that the play “Moomaid” would launch on Broadway.

Though I was highly mistaken regarding the grandiose visions of peripheral marketing, we were able to create The Moomaid who still exists….but only in or minds.

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Rick London is a designer, songwriter, author and cartoonist.  He is best known for his #1 offbeat cartoons and funny gifts, Londons Times. 

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The Great Humpty Conspiracy. Who Killed Him. The Story Behind The Londons Times Cartoon by Rick London

Like everyone else in the world my age, I lived in NYC for several years in my 20s. Why? Because I thought I was cool.  I wasn’t.   Don’t get me wrong.  I’m using NYC symbolically as “the big city”, or “a big city” that was not their hometown, so they could explore the world, explore their inside, learn to accept obstacles and/or challenges, or whatever. In other words, to grow up.  To see how people live, act, breathe, walk, talk and think outside ones own hometown.  Though I was the furthest thing from a success, I did learn quite a bit. Lessons and experiences were presented to me that I would have never even imagined in my small, safe, sheltered Ms. Home.

I have to share a secret and this mostly for the younger people south of the Mason Dixon Line who have decided NYC is the only place to learn these lessons.  Learn to talk.

But you say, “Rick, I already know how to tawk”.  Uh huh.  And I ain’t goin’ to no bullsh** charm school…or as they say in NY “Chwhm School”. 

Ok, so you aren’t going to learn to talk before moving to New York.  There are a few things you can do to make up for that, but they are risky.

For instance, the Sunday New York Times Book Review section is mighty snobby.  And if you sit there holding it open with a great look of amusement or concentration on your face, you might be allowed to keep your IQ. That is, back in the days when people cared about newspapers.  Today, if you try that, most New Yorkers will wonder why you aren’t in your Central Park West apartment with your iPhone or laptop reading the copy.  After all, “Do people still read the paper edition of The New York Times?”  Do they even still publish it.

One that I used to use to keep my IQ at least above 70 was to always have a copy of New Yorker Magazine and 2-3 copies from previous weeks so people could easily see, not only was/am I interested in the most recent culture in the center of the universe, but in case I missed a story last week, I will be aware.

There is only one problems for us Mississippians reading New Yorker Magazine in New York.

Eventually someone is going to ask, “What are you reading”.  Really. New Yorkers really say it like that and not “Whatcha readin’?”

“New Yolker”, I would respond obviously with egg on my face as New Yorkers would find reasons not to have to stand close to me.

Hence the birth of a new cartoon back around 12 years ago.  I wrote it around 1983, and shoved it away in a shoebox.  Again, neven understanding why I didn’t toss it in the trash, but I didn’t. Did I really think it might become a cartoon one day?

“Darn tootin’!” 

London has 30 or so wonderful Humpty Dumpty collectibles and gifts bearing this image at his RickLondonGifts.com (Zazzle shop).

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Rick London is an author, songwriter, designer and cartoonist.  He is best known for his Google #1 ranked offbeat cartoons and funny gifts “Londons Times” which are also Bing’s #1 ranked.  Google has rated them #1 since 2005 an Bing since 2008.   London and his wife nature photographer of HikeOurPlanet.com,  Lee Hiller-London (Lee Hiller) live in the beautiful Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas where they hike Hot Springs National Park and act as stewards of the property.   Lee